Israel vows unilateral action if Iran violates nuclear deal

Updated
November 25, 2013 09:36:00

The nuclear deal cut between Iran and the West has enraged one of the US's closest allies - Israel. It is vowing to take its own action if Iran continues steps to develop nuclear weapons, but the architects of the deal are saying that that will not happen.

TONY EASTLEY: It may be the most significant diplomatic breakthrough in decades, but the nuclear deal between Iran and the West has enraged one of America's closest allies.

Israel says the agreement to limit Iranian nuclear enrichment is a mistake.

It's vowing to take its own action if Iran continues steps to develop nuclear weapons.

But the architects of the deal insist that won't happen.

Middle East correspondent Hayden Cooper reports from Jerusalem.

HAYDEN COOPER: As he called his weekly Sunday Cabinet meeting to order, it was clear that this was no ordinary day for the Israeli prime minister.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU: This agreement has made the world a much more dangerous place.

HAYDEN COOPER: Benjamin Netanyahu had awoken to news that a deal was done in Geneva - the world had extracted an agreement from Israel's greatest enemy, Iran.

It was, he said, a mistake.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU: Now for the first time, the international community has formally consented that Iran continue its enrichment of uranium.

HAYDEN COOPER: In exchange for billions in sanctions relief, Iran has agreed to halt enrichment above the 5 per cent level, neutralise its stockpile of uranium already further enriched, stop installing new centrifuges, and allow nuclear inspectors.

A deal the US president Barack Obama praises.

BARACK OBAMA: These are substantial limitations which will help prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon. Simply put, they cut off Iran's most likely paths to a bomb.

HAYDEN COOPER: But within hours Israel was pulling apart the detail.

Government spokesman Mark Regev.

MARK REGEV: Not a single centrifuge is dismantled, not one. The stockpiles of enriched uranium, they're allowed to maintain them. And of course the nuclear reactor, the plutonium reactor, the heavy water reactor, is not being dismantled either.

HAYDEN COOPER: The Israeli government has said before it won't be satisfied unless not a single centrifuge is operating.

This deal doesn't deliver that.

Iran's foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif confirmed so himself.

MOHAMMAD JAVAD ZARIF: The current plan of action, as we call it, in two distinct places has a very clear reference to the fact that Iranian enrichment program will continue and will be a part of any agreement.

HAYDEN COOPER: Critics in Washington don't like the sound of that.

Republican Mike Rogers is the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

MIKE ROGERS: We have just rewarded very bad and dangerous behaviour. So think about what this agreement does. It says you can continue to enrich, that's what the Iranians believe. And they have made no changes, no changes, in the development of their nuclear weapon program. And I can tell you that with a high degree of certainty.

HAYDEN COOPER: The Sunni majority in Saudi Arabia is deeply distrustful of Shia Iran. And already one senior official has spoken of his fears of Tehran's growing influence.